Gould (1982): Evaluation Flashcards
Strengths of Research Method (Gould)
Questionnaires once produced can be used to collect data from a large amount of people
Weakness of research method (Gould)
Gould used a review- objectivity of collected evidence is questionable as he may have wanted it to support his argument
Weaknesses of validity (Yerkes)
Low population validity- no females or children tested
Scores may have reflected their army camp definition of literate which was often lowered so far that they should have done Beta but was reassigned Alpha
Construct Validity is low- tests were culturally biased so did not accurately test intelligence
Strengths of reliability (Yerkes)
Tests were standardised so everybody received the same question
Efforts made to ensure same level between of difficulty between Alpha and Beta tests
Yerkes gave clear instructions about how the tests were to be administered- even with scripts for administrators to say
Weaknesses of reliability (Yerkes)
Conditions for testing lacked consistency. In some camps schooling to grade 3 was thee criteria for Alpha- In others it was anyone who could read
However these protocols suggested by Yerkes were not always applied
Strengths of sampling bias (Yerkes)
Very large sample-1.75 from a wide range of backgrounds (white, black immigrants)
Weaknesses from sampling bias (Yerkes)
Many were illiterate yet given tests for literate people. Only males
Weaknesses of ethnocentrism (Yerkes)
The questions in white American culture.
Conclusions were drawn out about the IQ of black people and immigrants based on ethnocentric views of white American psychologists
Questions were written and answered in English and those who don’t understand the language wouldn’t have understood it
Strengths of data (Yerkes)
Quant data (Yerkes) easy to analyse secondary data (Gould) quick to gather
Weaknesses of data (Yerkes)
Whether the quantitative data is valid is the questions raised by Gould
Weaknesses of Ethical Considerations (Yerkes)
Gould didn’t gain consent from the men to use their data
We can assume they had to right to withdraw
Psychological harm-Inability to complete the tests causing anxiety
Immigration restriction Act 1924- Socially sensitive
Psychology as a science
Reliable- Standardised procedure
Objective- Score was a fact not an opinion
Nature/Nurture
Yerkes- Intelligence is inherited (nature)
Gould- IQ tests are culturally biased (nurture)
Usefulness
Gould’s study was useful in highlighting the issues with IQ tests
Yerkes- socially sensitive
Free will/Determination
Gould- Performance on the tests is due to how much time spent in the USA, education received (determined by environmental factors)
Reductionism/ Holism
Holistic- whilst previous research into intelligence were deterministic, Gould intended to critique previous methods of intelligence testing by Yerkes to highlight limitations of taking a reductionist approach
G’s explanations included cultural factors and language
Individual/ Situational explanations
Both
Individual- As intelligence is a Yerkes is measuring a mental ability
Situational- It depends on where you grow up if you get good scores or not. Americans will get better scores than immigrants as the questions were culturally biased.
Links to area/perspective
Individual differences- G is reviewing Y’s attempt to develop a way of measuring how people differ in terms of their ‘native intellectual ability
Cognitive- Y was trying too measure out
Links to area/perspective
Individual differences- G is reviewing Y’s attempt to develop a way of measuring how people differ in terms of their ‘native intellectual ability
Cognitive- Y was trying to measure out a mental ability
Links to key theme
Developmental- The implications of G’s argument is that a persons upbringing will have an impact on how ‘intelligent’ they come across in tests like those made by Y
Measuring differences- Review tells us it is very difficult to conduct and researchers must be careful when isolating variables
